Paul W. Ingraham, passed away peacefully at the age of 94 in his home in Greenwich Connecticut, July 18, 2026. He was born in New Haven, Connecticut to parents, Talcott and Alice Ingraham (nee Weisleder). Paul grew up in Wallingford, Connecticut where he attended Lyman Hall High School. It was there he discovered his love of the French Horn. He then attended Ithaca College graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education. Upon graduation he was drafted into the Army during the Korean War. He completed his basic training at Fort Dix in New Jersey and was later stationed at West Point playing in the West Point Band.

Paul enjoyed a long and distinguished career as a master horn player and educator, notably spending 50 years as a member and Principal Horn of the New York City Ballet Orchestra. Throughout his lifetime, he also held Principal Horn positions with many renowned ensembles, including The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, New York Chamber Symphony, The Brooklyn Philharmonic, The American Composers Orchestra, The Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra, The Minneapolis Symphony, The American Symphony, The Contemporary Chamber Ensemble and the Casals Festival Orchestra. He was also a dedicated member of the New York Brass Quintet for over 20 years, performing, recording and touring extensively in the United States, Europe and South America. Beyond the concert stage, his exceptional playing could be heard in major motion picture scores, commercial television jingles, and jazz albums. He loved sharing his knowledge and expertise with others and has had a long teaching career having served as Professor of Horn at the Yale School of Music, the Manhattan school of Music and The Hartt School of Music.

Paul was preceded in death by his wife and the love of his life, Jean (nee Douttiel), who passed away in 2021 after a long and courageous battle with Alzheimer’s and by his stepdaughter, Lisa Rebecca Benjamin. Earlier in their marriage, they shared the joy of working side-by-side at the New York City Ballet, where Jean performed as concertmaster. They also treasured traveling the world together, particularly their sailing trips to the Caribbean and trips to Japan when the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra went on tour. They loved to entertain, play bridge, spend time with family, and simply enjoy one another's company. They both became avid sailors. In their later years, they purchased a sailboat, naming it “Toot Sweet,” and could often be found spending their time sailing up and down the Long Island Sound.

Paul is survived by his stepson, Seth Benjamin and partner Leidis Sanchez; his son, David Ingraham and his wife Ellen, (nee O’Connell); his daughter, Paola Yammarino and her husband Joseph; and his son, Robert Ingraham and his wife Susan, (nee Hamlin). He is also survived by nine grandchildren: Amanda, Olivia, Maureen, Andrew, Joseph Bruno (Gabrielle), Jared, Jonathan, Benjamin and Lars as well as his first great-grandchild, Bruno Vincent. He also leaves behind his dear brothers, Talcott L (Roy) Ingraham, Jr., William (Bill) Ingraham and his wife Robin and many cousins, nieces and nephews and their families.

Visitation will be held on Monday October 5, from 3:00-6:00 pm at Redgate Hennessy Funeral Home, 4 Gorham Place, Trumbull Connecticut.

A committal service is planned for Tuesday October 6 at 11:00 am at In Memoriam Cemetery, 18 Maplewood Avenue, Wallingford Connecticut.

In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes memorial donations to: Alpine Learning Group, an organization that is an important part of Paul’s grandchildren’s lives (AlpineLearningGroup.org)